Current Affairs January 2014

National [January 2014]

Preliminary report on Status of Women releasedThe High Level Committee released the Preliminary Report on Status of Women in India on 3 February 2014.
The Committee headed by Pam Rajput was appointed by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development in February 2012 to understand the status of women since 1989.
Report revealed that Violence against Women, Declining Sex Ratio and Economic Disempowerment of Women are three key burning issues which will require immediate attention and action by the government.
There report made several recommendations for the immediate action by the government.

Committee to deal False Advertisement set upThe Central Consumer Protection Council (CCPC) headed by K V Thomas decided to set up a sub-committee on 3 February 2014. The CCPC is under the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs
The committee will issue guidelines to monitor the advertisements as currently there is no any legal safeguard available for consumers to deal with the false advertisements.
If the claims made by whitening creams proved un phenomenal as advertised, Consumer should have right to claim compensation not only from the advertisers but also from the celebrities endorsing the product.
The committee will submit its recommendations by the end of February 2014.

National Cloud Computing under MeghRaj Initiative launchedUnion Ministry of Communications and Information Technology launched the National Cloud under MeghRaj Initiative on 4 February 2014.
The National Cloud is being implemented by National Information Centre (NIC).
The National Cloud will help the departments to procure ICT services on demand in the OPEX model rather than investing upfront on the CAPEX.
The Cloud Services available are Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS) and Storage as a Service (STaaS). The features of the National Cloud includes self service portal, multiple Cloud solutions, secured VPN access and multi location Cloud.
Government of India embarked upon an ambitious initiative GI cloud named MeghRaj to utilize and harness the benefits of Cloud Computing.

Sachin Tendulkar and CNR Rao conferred with Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour was conferred on cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar (40) and eminent scientist Prof CNR Rao (79) by the President of India, Pranab Mukherjee. The awards were given at the Durban Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on 4 February 2014.
The recipient of the award will receive a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President and a medallion. This award does not carry any monetary grants.
With this felicitation, Sachin became the first sportsperson to be conferred with the honour of Bharat Ratna. He is also the youngest person alive to be conferred with the award. Master blaster Sachin retired from international cricket on 16 November 2013. Sachin after receiving the award dedicated it to his mother.

Joshna Chinappa won the Winnipeg Winter Club Open trophy
Squash player Joshna Chinappa won the Winnipeg Winter Club Open trophy on 3 February 2014. She defeated Heba El Torky of Egypt.
The fourth seeded Indian triumphed 3-2 (11-13 11-8 11-5 3-11 12-10) in a see-saw battle.
The world number 27 Chinappa rallied after losing the opening game which was dominated by Heba.
The triumph of Chinappa marked the second consecutive year of an Indian winning the trophy with Dipika Pallikal being the first to clinch it before her in 2013.

Current Affairs Febraury 2014

National [Febraury 2014]

India, Russia To Conclude Deal On Two Kudankulum ReactorsIndia and Russia Wednesday agreed to conclude at an early date the general framework agreement on reactors 3 and 4 of the Kudankulam nuclear power project in Tamil Nadu, official sources said.
The "general agreement" concerning the reactors was reached during the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission meeting chaired by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin in Delhi.
The meeting also focused on nuclear, space, energy and economic cooperation.

Rajiv assassins' death sentence commuted to life imprisonmentSupreme Court Tuesday commuted the death sentence to the three assassins of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi to life imprisonment, holding that the 11-year long delay in deciding their mercy petition had a dehumanising effect on them.
The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice P. Sathasivam said that the delay was not only inordinate but also unreasonable and unexplained.
The court said that life imprisonment would mean life in jail till end.

Budget 2014 – Loan subsidy to benefit 9 lakh students
Nearly nine lakh students stand to benefit from a subsidy scheme on educational loans taken before March 31, 2009, according to the interim budget proposals presented by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram Monday.
According to the budget presented in the Lok Sabha, Rs.2,600 crore will be provided in the current fiscal for payment of outstanding interest liability for the period till Dec 31, 2013.

Budget 2014 – Government sets up fund for Scheduled Caste entrepreneursWith an eye to the approaching general elections, the government Monday announced the setting up of a Rs.200 crore venture capital fund to promote entrepreneurship among the Scheduled Castes.
The Industrial Finance Corporation of India will set up the fund that will provide concessional finance to entrepreneurs from the community, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said.
"I propose to provide an initial capital of Rs.200 crore, which can be supplemented," said the minister, while presenting the inetrim budget for fiscal 2014-15.

Budget 2014 – Chidambaram bats for a new model of urban governanceStressing that urbanisation is a necessary condition for economic growth, Finance minister P. Chidambaram Monday called for a new model of governance to arrest urban decay.
"Cities have wealth, cities also create wealth. That wealth should be tapped for resources to rebuild the cities with a new model of governance," Chidambaram said outlining his vision for the future.
India is urbanising fast and the Planning Commission has observed that the pace of urbanization poses an unprecedented managerial and policy challenge.

Budget 2014 – Chidambaram's 10-point agenda to make India 3rd largest economyFinance Minister P. Chidambaram Monday unveiled a 10-point agenda that would help make India the third largest economy by 2043 only behind the US and China.
While presenting the interim budget for the fiscal 2014-15 in the Lok Sabha, the finance minister said the size of Indian economy is the 11th largest in the world.
"I wonder how many have noted the fact that India's economy, in terms of the size of its GDP, is the 11th largest in the world. There are great things in store," he said.

Budget 2014 – Chidambaram's poll budget seeks to please all, with prudence
Seizing the limited elbow room in an election year, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram presented the interim budget for the next fiscal Monday saying the Indian economy was more stable today than two years ago and sought to win over key sections like scheduled castes, minorities, women, farmers and army personnel with more money for their welfare while pleasing the middle class with excise cuts to make cars, mobile phones and items of daily consumption cheaper.

No Fare Hike, 72 New Trains In India's Interim Rail Budget 2014Railway Minister Mallikarjun Kharge presented the interim rail budget for the next fiscal Wednesday sans much fanfare with no hike in fares or freight rates, and announced 72 new trains and connectivity to two more northeastern states.
In what was his personal first and the last such exercise in the 15th Lok Sabha for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, Kharge also promised a new tariff-setting body and said work on eastern and western freight corridors was progressing well.

Sports Current Affairs [Febraury 2014]

India draws second Test, New Zealand clinch series 1-0
India drew the second and final Test as New Zealand clinched the series 1-0 at the Basin Reserve here Tuesday.'
Chasing a target of 435, India finished at 166/3 with Virat Kohli scoring an unbeaten 105 and Rohit Sharma 31 not out.

Current Affairs March 2014

International Current Affairs [March 2014]

One Million Kids Suffer From TB Annually: Study
As the world observes World TB Day Monday, a shocking research reveals that despite improved medication and government as well as aid agencies' efforts, the number of children suffering from tuberculosis (TB) annually has doubled since 2011.
Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and Harvard Medical School (HMS) in Boston have estimated that around one million children suffer from TB annually- twice the number previously thought to have tuberculosis and three times the number that are diagnosed every year, the researchers claimed.

India, Singapore win 2014 UN Water for Life award
India and Singapore have won the 2014 edition of the UN-Water's Water for Life Best Practices Award for their sustainable practices of water resources.
This was announced Friday during an official UN ceremony here to mark World Water Day 2014 that falls March 22.

India seeks level playing field for all in Global InternetClose on the heels of the US decision to relinquish its oversight of Internet Corporation for Assignment of Names and Numbers (ICANN), a global multi-stakeholder meeting – NETmundial – on the future of internet governance will be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, April 23-24. Nearly 800 delegates representing government, private sector, civil society, academia and technical communities, including several from India, are expected to attend this meeting.

National [March 2014]

India's own satellite navigation system by 2014 end: ISRO chiefndia is expected to have its own satellite navigation system with the launch of three more satellites before the end of this year, said the Indian space agency's chief Monday.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman K.Radhakrishnan told IANS that Indian communication satellite INSAT-3E has been decommissioned couple of days ago and the users are being migrated to other satellites.

Corruption, Lokpal to be key poll issues: Google surveyCorruption and Lokpal are likely to be the two decisive factors on which young people are going to vote in the Lok Sabha polls, search engine Google has said.After a three-month survey, Google concluded that the Lok Sabha elections have evoked unprecedented interest among online users who want to know about the various issues influencing national politics.

India Visa Facility Via E-Button SoonThe electronic visa facility or e-visa is in its final stage of development and is expected to be introduced this year, a tourism ministry official said Wednesday.Speaking at the "Think Tourism-Think India: Thought Leadership Meet", organised by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham), tourism secretary Parvez Dewan said the move would catapult India among the top four countries with visa-friendly policies.

Empowering Rural Women Key For Kids' NourishmentMothers in rural India who participate in vocational training programmes get, in return, an increased bargaining strength at homes – thus significantly improving their children's consumption of rice and dairy.
"There is evidence that if women have more bargaining power in the household – particularly in developing countries where cash is very tight – quite often more resources go toward the kids," said economist Kathy Baylis from University of Illinois.

Basic Idea Of India Being Challenged: Sam PitrodaThe basic ideas of India's democratic values, freedom of speech and social inclusion have been challenged in the run-up to the general elections, said Sam Pitroda, adviser to prime minister on public information infrastructure and innovations.
"The upcoming elections are India's most important polls in recent history. However, the basic ideas of India, democratic values, freedom of speech and social inclusion are being challenged," Pitroda said while addressing the Growth Net 2014 conference here Tuesday.

Business and Economy Current Affairs [March 2014]

RBI Keeps Key Policy Rates On Hold; EMIs To Remain UnchangedThe Reserve Bank of India (RBI), as expected, left key interest rates unchanged in its first bi-monthly monetary policy review Tuesday and said near-term tightening is not expected if inflation continues to ease.
The repo rate, or the interest that banks pay when they borrow money from the RBI to meet their short-term fund requirements, has been left unchanged at 8 percent.

Indian Economy More Stable; Deficits Will Come Down: ChidambaramFinance Minister P. Chidambaram Monday said the Indian economy is more stable than it was 20 months back and the government is hopeful of meeting major macro-economic targets, including fiscal and current account deficits.
"The economy today is far more stable and far stronger than it was 20 months ago," Chidambaram said at a media conference here.

Sports Current Affairs [March 2014]

Hockey to become 60-minute game from Sep 1Lausanne, March 20 (IANS) The international hockey federation (FIH) Thursday introduced major changes to the structure of the sport including reducing the 70-minute game to 60 minutes comprising four 15-minute quarters instead of two 35-minute halves. The changes will come into effect from Sep 1.

Virat Kohli reclaims No.1 ODI rankingIndia's Virat Kohli has reclaimed the No.1 position in the latest ICC rankings for One-Day International (ODI) batsmen released Sunday at the conclusion of the Asia Cup which was won by Sri Lanka.Kohli had entered the Asia Cup, trailing No.1 ranked AB de Villiers by two points. Kohli's tournament aggregate of 189 runs in three innings, with 136 against Bangladesh as his series best, earned him 12 points which has put him ahead of South Africa ODI captain by nine points.

Current Affairs April 2014

International Current Affairs [April 2014]

Government to Issue E-Visa to tourists from 180 Countries
The government will soon operationalise electronic travel authorization or e-Visa facility to inbound tourists from 180 countries.
According to Tourism Secreatry Parvez Dewan, the government will operationalise the electronic travel authorization within a year.
Dewan was speaking at the inauguration of the first edition of Incredible India Travel Bazaar (IITB), organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in partnership of with the tourism ministry.

National [April 2014]

Hydro Projects were blamed for Uttarakhand DisasternAfter the Uttarakhand disaster which struck in June 2013, green activists have been blaming it all on dams, tunnels and hydropower projects in the area. But Now, an expert committee of the environment ministry believes that there should be enactment of legislation for protecting small but significant rivers as this area is eco-sensitive. "A larger number of members of the panel have consensus that the hydropower projects aggravated the damage to surroundings.

Indian Activist Honoured With Goldman Environmental Prize
Indian environment activist Ramesh Agrawal has won the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize that honours heroic grassroot environmentalists around the world for their achievements.
The Goldman Prize, in its 25th year, is the largest award for grassroots environmental activism given annually by Goldman Environmental Foundation based in San Francisco, the foundation said in a statement Monday.

Disclosing Identity Of UPSC Interviewers April Be Harmful: HCThe possibility of a failed candidate attempting to take revenge on the selection commission members of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) cannot be ruled out, said Delhi High Court as it agreed that disclosing their names will "expose them to danger".

Justice Lodha Is India's New Chief JusticeJustice Rajendra Mal Lodha was Sunday sworn in as the chief justice of India. He was administered the oath of office by President Pranab Mukharjee.Chief Justice Lodha, 64, is the 41st chief justice.
The oath taking ceremony at the Darbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan was also attended by Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and cabinet ministers Sushilkumar Shinde, A.K. Antony, Kapil Sibal and M. Veerappa Moily.

998 candidates were declared qualified by the UPSC for the 2012 examination in order of merit for appointment to IAS, IFS, IPS and other central services, as against 1,091 vacancies, results of which were declared in May last year.

Modi, Kejriwal, Arundhati Roy among Time's 100 influential peopleBharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal have made it to Time 100 list of the world's most influential people along with Indian novelist Arundhati Roy.
While Modi figures in the category of "leaders", Kejriwal is listed among the "pioneers" and Roy makes the grade among "icons" in the annual list released Thursday after an online poll of readers.

Railways Integrator, Unifier Of India, Says PresidentMillions of Indians from various backgrounds use one common mode of transportation – the Indian Railways – which thus play a major role as an "integrator and unifier" of the country, President Pranab Mukherjee said Tuesday.
"Every day, millions of passengers speaking different languages, consuming different types of food, wearing different types of dresses and believing in diverse religions use one common vehicle for transportation," Mukherjee said addressing a group of 68 probationary officials of the Indian Railway Service of Engineers (IRSE) of the 2011 batch.

Business and Economy Current Affairs [April 2014]

India Set To Grow At 5.4 Percent In 2014: IMF The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected India's growth to recover from 4.4 percent in 2013 to 5.4 percent in 2014 and strengthen to 6.4 percent next year, essentially unchanged from its forecast in January.

These projections are based on the assumption that government efforts to revive investment growth succeed and export growth strengthens after the recent rupee depreciation, the multilateral finance institution said in the April 2014 World Economic Outlook (WEO).

Indian Economy More Stable; Deficits Will Come Down: ChidambaramFinance Minister P. Chidambaram Monday said the Indian economy is more stable than it was 20 months back and the government is hopeful of meeting major macro-economic targets, including fiscal and current account deficits.
"The economy today is far more stable and far stronger than it was 20 months ago," Chidambaram said at a media conference here.
"Nobody is talking about downgrades today," he stressed.

RBI Keeps Key Policy Rates On Hold; EMIs To Remain UnchangedThe Reserve Bank of India (RBI), as expected, left key interest rates unchanged in its first bi-monthly monetary policy review Tuesday and said near-term tightening is not expected if inflation continues to ease.
The repo rate, or the interest that banks pay when they borrow money from the RBI to meet their short-term fund requirements, has been left unchanged at 8 percent.

Science & Technology

Indian Spacecraft Orbiter Halfway To MarsIndia's maiden mission to Mars is on course, with its spacecraft Orbiter crossing the halfway mark on its voyage to the red planet, four months after it left Earth Dec 1.
"The spacecraft Wednesday at 9.50 a.m. crossed the halfway mark of its journey to Mars along the designated helio (sun)-centric trajectory in the solar orbit," the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a statement here.

Indian Navigation Satellite's Orbit RaisedThe Indian space agency Saturday raised further the orbit of its second navigation satellite by around 4,200 km by firing the space craft's onboard motor for around seven minutes, said a senior official.
"The satellite's motor was fired for around seven minutes today (Saturday) evening. Post raising the satellite's elliptical orbit is 292.7 x 24,830 km," an official of the space agency told IANS preferring anonymity.

Current Affairs May 2014

International Current Affairs [May 2014]

Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza coming up in Texas
A seven-foot tall bronze statue of India's freedom movement leader will be the centrepiece of the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial of North Texas with walls inscribed with some of his quotes.
After four years of planning and fundraising, ground was broken at Thomas Jefferson Park in Irving for the memorial last Saturday, according to dallasnews.com.

Royal Navy Submarine Service appointed first female submariners
Royal Navy Submarine Service of United Kingdom appointed female submariners for the first.
Pioneering lieutenants Maxine Stiles, Alex Olsson and Penny Thackray on 5 May 2014 have become the first women to serve in the Royal Navy Submarine Service. This step was taken for the first time in the 110-year history of the Submarine Service.

National [May 2014]

Modi became India's 15th PMNarendra Modi, India's 15th prime minister, took oath Monday at a ceremony held in the open at Rashtrapati Bhavan and attended by the Who's Who of the nation – including political leaders, business honchos, celebrities and leaders of religious faiths – as well as leaders of neighbouring countries.
The oath of office and secrecy was administered in Hindi to Modi by President Pranab Mukherjee.

IB Ex-Chief Is New Chief Information CommissionerFormer Intelligence Bureau chief Rajiv Mathur was Thursday sworn-in as the new chief information commissioner, Rashtrapati Bhavan said.
The oath was administered to Mathur by President Pranab Mukherjee, said a statement.

2014 election sees highest ever voter turnoutThe national voter turnout of 66.38 percent in the 2014 general election was the highest ever in Indian polls, the Election Commission said Monday.
"The voting percentage for the whole nation this time was 66.38 percent, which is the highest ever in history," Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi said at a press conference here.

Pranab to dedicate indigenous payment card RuPay to nationRuPay, an indigenous payment card accepted at most retail and e-commerce platforms and all automated teller machines (ATMs) across the country, will be dedicated to the nation Thursday.
President Pranab Mukherjee is scheduled to dedicate the card payment network to the nation at a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

States Can't Make Linguistic Minorities Choose Mother Tongue: SCThe Supreme Court Tuesday said states in India have no powers to compel the children of linguistic minorities to choose the language considered to be the mother tongue in a state as a medium of instruction at primary level.
A constitution bench of Chief Justice R.M.Lodha, Justice A.K.Patnaik, Justice Sudhansu Jyoti Mukhopadhaya, Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla said: "We hold that the state has no power under article 350A of the constitution to compel the linguistic minorities to choose their mother tongue only as a medium of instruction in primary schools."

Doval Tipped To Be Next National Security AdvisorFormer Intelligence Bureau chief Ajit Doval Monday met prime minister-to-be Narendra Modi and BJP chief Rajnath Singh, intensifying speculation that he may be appointed the next National Security Advisor.
Doval, who was Intelligence Bureau chief 2004-05, is currently director of the Vivekananda International Foundation, a think tank.

Business and Economy Current Affairs [May 2014]

India's central bank leaves policy rates intactIndia's central bank Tuesday kept all key policy rates unchanged but eased some money for lending, indicating that it will await more positive signals from the economy and the upcoming national budget before measures to spur growth.
While the cash reserve ratio was kept unchanged at 4 percent, the statutory liquidity ratio (SLR), which is the quantum of liquid assets banks have to hold against their deposits, has been reduced by 50 basis points to 22.5 percent.

RBI To Have Regular Process Of Bank Licences: Rajan
Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan Tuesday said the central bank would soon announce a regular process of granting bank licences, ending the current system of giving it in tranches.
"The Reserve Bank of India is committed to freeing entry in banking," Rajan said at an event organised by the Competition Commission of India here.

Manipur won national women football championshipThere was no stopping the Manipur juggernaut as they downed reigning champions Orissa 3-1 in a lopsided summit clash of the 20th Women's National Championship for the 17th time at the Golaghat Stadium here Monday.
Goals at the beginning of the first and second period from Bala Devi and one from iconic India player Oinam Bembem Devi sealed the issue for Manipur.

Snooker Chitra Magimairaj Nominated For Arjuna Award

Snooker Chitra Magimairaj Nominated For Arjuna AwardThe Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI) has nominated Chitra Magimairaj, Vidya Pillai and Brijesh Damani for the prestigious Arjuna Award.
According to a BSFI press release here Wednesday, the nominations have been made based on their performances over a four-year cycle.

Saina created history to India ensure maiden Uber Cup bronze
The Saina Nehwal-led Indian women's badminton team created history Thursday by ensuring their first ever bronze medal finish at the World Women's Team Championship for the Uber Cup being played at the Siri Fort Sports Complex here.

Indian shuttlers drubbed powerhouse Indonesia 3-0 in the quarter-finals to set up a semi-final clash against Japan Friday. Even if India lose now, they will take home a bronze medal. Japan, on the other hand, whitewashed Denmark 3-0 to also proceed to the last four.

Defence

Anti-Terrorism Day Observed across India on 21 May
Anti-terrorism Day is observed May 21, the day on which former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated.
Tamil Nadu Governor K. Rosaiah Wednesday paid floral tribute to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 23rd death anniversary.

India's supersonic Aakash missiles intercepts moving targets in test
India's supersonic, medium-range surface-to-air Aakash missiles Wednesday successfully intercepted fast moving targets in ripple mode in a test carried out from a defence base in Odisha, an official said.
The missiles were launched from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) of Chandipur in the coastal Balasore district of Odisha, about 230 kms from Bhubaneswar, on towed body targets of Lakshya (pilot-less target aircraft) moving at "low altitude far boundary" and ripple mode missions.

After EC nod, defence ministry recommends new army chief

Days before the Congress-led UPA government demits office, the defence ministry Monday recommended the name of Indian Army vice chief, Lt. Gen. Dalbir Singh Suhag, to the cabinet committee on appointments as the next head of the force, sources said.
The move comes as the Election Commission gave government the go-ahead for appointing the new army chief.

Current Affairs June 2014

International Current Affairs [June 2014]

Earth's largest water reservoir located inside Earth's mantle
Earth's largest water reservoir might be located deep inside the Earth's mantle. This was revealed by a study published in the journal Science on 13 June 2014.
The study was conducted by the Northwestern geophysicist Steve Jacobsen and University of New Mexico seismologist Brandon Schmandt.

Cabinet Clears China MoU For Industrial Parks
The Indian government has given in principle approval to an MoU to allow China to set up industrial parks the country. The move comes ahead of the five-day visit of Vice-President Hamid Ansari to China from Thursday.
China, which has established five industrial parks in ASEAN countries like Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam, is keen to set up similar industrial parks in India. The states being examined for the purpose include Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.

NASA built World's most powerful telescope to track alien's lifeNational Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) plan to build Advanced Technology Large Aperture Space Telescope (ATLAST) in Portsmouth. It will be the World's most powerful and largest telescope once it is built.

National Current Affairs [June 2014]

Delhi became first kerosene free city in IndiaDelhi has became the first kerosene-free city in the country government announced on 16 June 2014. The scheme was launched in 2012 under which no subsidized kerosene were being issued in the city.
The three Oil Marketing Companies and Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for which Delhi Government had incurred an expenditure of 62 core rupees.

National Missions To Be Launched By Modi GovernmentNational Land Use Policy – to facilitate scientific identification of non-cultivable land and its strategic development.
Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana – with the motto Har Khet Ko Paani – according priority to water security.

Government Will Set Up IITs And IIMs In Very State: PresidentPresident Pranab Mukherjee Monday said the government will set up IITs and IIMs in every state of the country.
"My government will set up IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) and IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) in every state. A national e-library will also be set up," Mukherjee said while addressing the joint session of both houses of parliament.

Indian Rocket Carrying French, German Satellites Blasts OffAn Indian rocket carrying a French earth observation satellite and four other foreign satellites blasted off from the rocket port here.
Exactly at 9.52 a.m., the rocket – Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C23 (PSLV-C23) – standing around 44.4 metres tall and weighing around 230 ton tore into the bright morning skies with orange flames fiercely burning at its tail.

Gujarat Govt announced 33 percent quota for women in police forceChief Minister of Gujarat Anandiben Patel announced 33 percent reservation for women in the police force. With this announcement, the women of the state can get 33 percent reservation in new recruitment in the police force. The decision will be implemented in all cadres.

Sports Current Affairs [June 2014]

Saina first non-Chinese to win Super Series in 2014India's Saina Nehwal became the first non-Chinese shuttler to win a women's singles Super Series title in 2014 after clinching the Australian Badminton Open at the State Sports Centre here Sunday.
The Olympic bronze medallist defeated Spain's Carolina Marin 21-18, 21-11 in 43 minutes to win her first Super Series crown in 20 months, after coming out on top in the Denmark Open in October 2012.

Pankaj Advani Pockets Snooker World TitleIndia's Pankaj Advani won his ninth World title when he annexed the IBSF 6 Reds World Championship snooker crown here Sunday, defeating Kacper Filipiak of Poland 6-1 in the final.

Pistol shooter Jitu Rai bags historic World Cup goldIndian pistol shooter Jitu Rai followed up his silver with a historic gold in the men's air pistol event Thursday during ISSF World Cup in Maribor, Slovenia. It was the first time an Indian shooter won two medals in a World Cup championship.
Rai, who missed the free pistol gold by 0.1 point and had to settle for silver, shot 200.8 in the final round of the air pistol event to clinch the gold medal, according to information received here.

Business and Economy

India Set To Grow At 5.5 Percent: World Bank The World Bank projected India's growth at 5.5 percent in fiscal 2014-15, accelerating to 6.3 percent in 2015-16 and 6.6 percent in 2016-17 as it urged developing countries to double down on domestic reforms.
Subdued manufacturing activity and a sharp slowing of investment growth in India led to GDP growth in South Asia as a whole slowing to an estimated 4.7 percent in market price terms in calendar year 2013, the Bank said in a new report Wednesday.

India's central bank leaves policy rates intact
India's central bank Tuesday kept all key policy rates unchanged but eased some money for lending, indicating that it will await more positive signals from the economy and the upcoming national budget before measures to spur growth.
While the cash reserve ratio was kept unchanged at 4 percent, the statutory liquidity ratio (SLR), which is the quantum of liquid assets banks have to hold against their deposits, has been reduced by 50 basis points to 22.5 percent.

Global Economy Prize For India's Biotech Queen
India's biotechnology queen and Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has been awarded the coveted Global Economy Prize for business by the Kiel Institute in Germany during its centenary celebrations.
"Mazumdar-Shaw is the first Indian woman and fourth Indian to be conferred this prize," the Bangalore-based biotech company said in a statement here Monday.

Defence

Akash Missile Clears Final Test, Ready For Induction
India Wednesday successfully test fired indigenously developed surface-to-air missile Akash from a defence base in Odisha, an official said. The medium-range is now ready for induction in the Indian Army.
The missile, with a 27-km range and an effective ceiling of 15 km, was test fired from the Integrated Test Range in Balasore district, 230 km from here.

Brahmos missile test-fired from new warshipIndian-Russian joint venture Brahmos Aerospace Monday test-fired its 290-km range supersonic missile from the yet-to-be commissioned stealth destroyer INS Kolkata off India's west coast here in Karnataka, officials said.
"Brahmos' representatives successfully conducted the installation test-firing of the cruise missile from the launcher in coordination with the Mumbai-based Mazagon Dockyard Ltd, which built the warship," a senior naval official told IANS here, about 500 km from Bangalore and 660 km from Mumbai.

Current Affairs July 2014

International Current Affairs [July 2014]

NASA celebrates 45 years of moon landing

On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the moon.

Forty-five years later, NASA will celebrate Monday the giant leap by honouring Armstrong, who died in 2012, with a renaming ceremony of the historic "operations and checkout building" at Cape Canaveral in Florida, the launch site.

Japan ends 60-year military's ban on fighting abroad

Japan took a historic step on July 01 2014 by ending a ban that has kept the military from fighting abroad since 1945. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe but a move that has riled China and worries many Japanese voters.

The change, the most dramatic shift in policy since Japan set up its post-war armed forces 60 years ago, will widen Japan's military options by ending the ban on exercising "collective self-defence," or aiding a friendly country under attack.

US names Antarctica mountain Mt.Sinha after an Indian-American scientist

To Honour an Indian-American scientist Akhouri Sinha, The United States named a mountain in Antarctica as Mt. Sinha. The mountain was named as the recognition of Sinha's work done as an explorer in 1971-72.

Sinha's pioneering biological research expedition has provided critical data about the animal populations in Antarctica.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched an interactive online platform that allows people to share ideas and suggestions and participate in the country's governance.

"Democracy cannot succeed without people's participation in Government and this participation should not be limited only during elections. The participation should be there in fulfilling peoples' aspirations and needs," Modi said while inaugurating the platform.

World Bank to provide $18 bn aid to India in three years

The World Bank said it will provide financial support of $15-18 billion to India over the next three years to help accelerate economic growth and reduce poverty.

Talking to media persons after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi here, World Bank group president Jim Yong Kim said the Indian government has outlined a comprehensive plan to reduce poverty and return to over nine percent economic growth trajectory.

Rangrajan Committee retained consumption expenditure estimates of NSSO as the basis for determining poverty , it pegged the total number of poor in India at 363 million or 29.6 percent of the population.

Rajasthan Cabinet declared Camel as the State animal

Rajasthan State Government declared Camel as the State animal on June 30 2014. This decision has been taken to check the diminishing number of camels in the State.

Camel as an animal provide livelihood to numerous people of Rajasthan and is called as a ship of desert. However, over the years these animals are slaughtered for its meat and are also illegally transported to neighbouring states.

World's Maximum Child Labourers In India: Report

India has 10.1 million child labourers in the 5-14 age group, the most in the world, a study revealed here Wednesday."India continues to host the largest number of child labourers in the world with more than half of Delhi's working children forced to work more than eight hours a day without a single day's rest," said the report released by NGO Child Rights and You (CRY) in collaboration with Philips.

Business and Economy Current Affairs [July 2014]

D.V. Sadananda Gowda Presented Railway Budget 2014 Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda presented the rail budget in Lok Sabha Tuesday, promising to serve the social obligations of the ministry, but with an eye on financial viability and the need to maintain and upgrade the network.

Jaitley's budget promises 7-8 percent growth in three years

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley began presenting the first national budget for self and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government Thursday expressing concerns over economic slowdown while promising steps to ensure a course correction with bold measures.

"People of India have voted decisively for change," Jaitley said. "Steps I will unveil in the budget will aim at 7-8 percent growth over the next three-four years, lower inflation, less fiscal deficit and a manageable current account deficit."

TCS became first Indian Company to top Rs 5 lakh cr in m-cap

Indian IT bellwether Tata Consulting Services (TCS) became the first Indian company to achieve a market capitalization of 5 lakh crore rupees.

The global software major announced that it posted net profit of Rs.5,058 crore in the quarter under review, registering 27 percent year-on-year (YoY) growth and 4.5 percent higher sequentially.

Sports Current Affairs [July 2014]

Glasgow 2014: City set for Commonwealth Games opening

The 2014 Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 3 August 2014.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond welcomed the international media to cover the event from July 23 to Aug 3 with 71 Commonwealth countries participating in 261 events of 17 sports. He noted that the 575 million pounds (about $981 million) of the 20th Commonwealth Games' budget will be "well spent", with 80 percent of the budget from the Scottish government and 20 percent from Glasgow city council.

Pistol Shooter Jitu Rai Is World No.1

A historic gold medal in the recent World Cup catapulted pistol shooter Jitu Rai to the No.1 spot in 10m air pistol event in the latest ISSF rankings released Tuesday.Rai is the seven Indian shooter to be ranked No.1 in the world. Anjali Bhagwat, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Gagan Narang, Manavjit Singh Sandhu, Ronjon Sodhi and Heena Sidhu have been No.1

Germany Beat Argentina 1-0 For Fourth FIFA World Cup Crown

Mario Gotze's extra time goal gave Germany their fourth FIFA World Cup title after a 1-0 win over Argentina in the final at the Maracana stadium here Sunday.Both teams were locked 0-0 at the end of the full-time with the match going into extra time.

Djokovic wins Wimbledon, regains No.1 spot

Novak Djokovic regained the No.1 spot for the first time since September last year as he beat Roger Federer in a thrilling final to win his second Wimbledon crown here Sunday.

Czech sixth seed Petra Kvitova lifted her second women's singles Wimbledon title after defeating Canadian 13th seed Eugenie Bouchard in straight sets in the final here Saturday.

Kvitova, who also won here in 2011, completely destroyed her opponent to come out victorious 6-3, 6-0 in only 55 minutes. This was the first even Grand Slam final for Bouchard.

Defence

Gen. Suhag takes over as new Indian Army chief

General Dalbir Singh Suhag Thursday took over as the new chief of the 1.3 million strong Indian Army. He succeeds General Bikram Singh, who retired Thursday.

General Suhag assumed charge after his predecessor handed over to him the Chief of Army Staff baton in his South Block office here.

Indian Air Force received 6th C-17 Globemaster III aircraft

Indian Air Force received its sixth C-17 Globemaster III aircraft by Union Defence Minister Arun Jaitley at the Palam Airbase in New Delhi.

The C-17 Globemaster III aircraft will enhance the operational potential of the Indian Air Force (IAF) with its payload carriage and performance about 75 tonnes. It would also augment the strategic reach of the nation during operations to about 4500 kms during disaster relief and other similar missions.

Indian Navy To Get First Fully Indigenously-Built Warship

India's first fully indigenously built major warship, the anti submarine warfare (ASW) corvette INS Kamorta will be handed over to the navy by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. (GRSE) here Saturday, a defence statement said.

The super-sophisticated frontline warship will be formally handed over by GRSE chairman and managing director, Rear Admiral (retd) A.K. Verma to the Indian Navy at a brief ceremony at GRSE's fitting-out jetty.

India successfully tests BrahMos supersonic cruise missile

India Tuesday successfully test-fired the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a defence base in Odisha, an official said. It has a range of 290 km and can carry a conventional warhead of up to 300 kg.

The missile was launched from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur in Balasore district, about 230 km from here.

Current Affairs August 2014

International Current Affairs [August 2014]

111-Year-Old Japanese Officially Declared World's Oldest Man
Sakari Momoi, a 111-year-old Japanese citizen, was Wednesday officially recognised in Tokyo as the oldest man in the world by the Guinness World Records award committee.
Momoi bags the title after the death in early June of previous record holder, US citizen Alexander Imich, who was just one day older than the Japanese, the committee said in a statement.

Hiroshima commemorates 69th anniversary of atomic bombing
Hiroshima, the Japanese city that suffered US atomic bombing in 1945 during the World War II, commemorated the 69th anniversary of the bombing Wednesday at the city's Peace Memorial Park.

NASA Creates Space Engine Like None Other
In what could be a game changer in space exploration, NASA has successfully tested a "microwave thruster system" that requires no propellant to generate thrust.
The engine appears to produce propulsion through electricity and nothing else.

First World War victims paid tribute across the globeThe governor of Belgium's Liege province Monday to the victims of the First World War (WWI) as part of ceremonies to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the war.
Speaking at the Cointe Inter-Allied Memorial in Liege, Governor Michel Foret asked gathered dignitaries to remember all those who died during the conflict.

Japan Announces 3.5 Trillion Yen Investment To IndiaJapan Monday announced public-private investment of 3.5 trillion yen (Rs.2.03 trillion) in India.India and Japan held official talks Monday in the third day of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's five-day sojourn to Japan.

National [August 2014]

Classes begin in Nalanda University – after over 800 yearsClasses opened Monday at the Nalanda University, an ancient international centre for learning in Bihar, after a break of over 800 years with 15 students, its vice chancellor said.
"We have formally started the academic session of Nalanda University Monday morning in the International Convention Centre at the Buddhist pilgrim town of Rajgir," Vice Chancellor Gopa Sabhrawal told IANS. Rajgir is about 100 km from Patna.

Modi Launches Jan Dhan Yojana, Record 15 Mn Bank Accounts OpenedPrime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday launched the union government's flagship financial inclusion scheme "Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana" (PMJDY), with the national rollout leading to the opening of an astounding 15 million bank accounts on a single day.
Modi said the project, launched in a mission mode, aims at tackling poverty by ending "financial untouchability".

20 new cancer treatment centres across India: Harsh VardhanThe government will set up 20 new advanced cancer treatment facilities across India over the next few years to meet the rising burden of the disease, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said here Tuesday.
He said that for Madhya Pradesh, the central government has planned a new State Cancer Institute (SCI), along with two Tertiary Care Cancer Centres (TCCC).

India Building World's Highest Railway BridgeWorld's tallest railway bridge construction work started near Noney in Manipur, India. Northeast Frontier Railway Construction Organisation (NFRCO) will be administering the whole project.
The bridge which is expected to be 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower when completed by 2016.

Cabinet approves amendments to Juvenile Justice ActThe union cabinet gave its nod to amend the Juvenile Justice Act that will pave the way for 16/18-year-olds to be treated as adults when involved in heinous crimes on Aug 7 2014.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, informed sources said.

President presents best parliamentarian awardsPresident Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday presented the outstanding parliamentarian awards to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Congress leader Karan Singh and JD-U president Sharad Yadav for 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively.
At a function organised by the Indian Parliamentary Group, Mukherjee said Jaitley, Karan Singh and Yadav were worthy successors of the illustrious lineage of parliamentarians who have received the award in the past.

President opens India's first IIEST, seeks industry-academia synergyCalling for a synergy between academia and industry, President Pranab Mukherjee Sunday (Aug 24, 2014) stressed on giving high priority to the upgradation of state-level institutions.
Speaking after inaugurating the first Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) of the country at Shibpur in West Bengal's Howrah district, he said: "Quality up-gradation of state-level institutions, which account for 96 percent of the higher education capacity, needs to be accorded high priority."

Business and Economy Current Affairs [August 2014]

Reliance Cap-Nippon Life launch two funds, eye bank in IndiaThe Anil Ambani-led Reliance Capital and Nippon Life Insurance Group Monday announced two funds for Japanese investors in the Indian equity and bond markets and to jointly start a commercial bank when permission comes from Indian authorities.
The announcement, coinciding with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first official visit here, further expands and deepens the relationship between the Indian and the Japanese groups, a joint statement said.

RBI's FY15 Agenda: Strengthen, Reform, Develop Financial SectorIndia's central bank Thursday said its agenda for 2014-15 is to contain consumer price index (CPI) inflation, strengthen banking structure, reform financial markets to deepen and widen them and improving the financial systems' ability to cope with distress.
Outlining its agenda for the current fiscal for the first time, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in its annual report, said that high and persistent inflation has become a key risk to the growth outlook and to overall macro-economic stability.

Defence

PM commissions INS Kolkata – India's largest indigenous warship
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 16, 2014 commissioned India's largest indigenously built warship "INS Kolkata" into the Indian Navy, describing it as "a symbol of our self-reliance in the field of defence".
"INS Kolkata, entirely built in India, is a symbol of our self-reliance in the field of defence. It is a worthy example of the country's technical abilities and will send a strong message around the world," Modi said at the commissioning ceremony held at the naval base here.

Gen. Suhag takes over as new Indian Army chiefGeneral Dalbir Singh Suhag Thursday took over as the new chief of the 1.3 million strong Indian Army. He succeeds General Bikram Singh, who retired Thursday.
General Suhag assumed charge after his predecessor handed over to him the Chief of Army Staff baton in his South Block office here.

Current Affairs September 2014

International Current Affairs [September 2014]

NASA Selects Boeing, SpaceX To Ferry US Astronauts To ISS
With a goal to end the US' sole reliance on the Russian Space Shuttle in 2017, NASA selected two American firms to transport astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).
The space agency chose the US multinational Boeing Co and California-based Space Exploration Technologies Corp (SpaceX) for the multi-billion dollar contract to carry astronauts in space taxis to and from orbit using their CST-100 and Crew Dragon spacecraft, respectively.

World's First Swimming Dinosaur Found In Morocco
In a surprise find, palaeontologists have discovered the world's first known swimming dinosaur – a 15-metre-long behemoth with a crocodile-like face.The creature called Spinosaurus aegyptiacus had feet well suited to paddling and a sail-like structure rising from its spine.It also had unusually dense bones, possibly to help weigh it down as it hunted its underwater prey.

Modi Seeks Japan's Help In Skill Development
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday sought Japan's help for skill development in India. Stating that 65 percent of India's population was young, Modi said: "In 2020, when the world would need a workforce, we are preparing for it from now itself, so that we can match the global workforce."
"India is a youthful nation. We want to give importance to skill development. Be it quality, zero defect, discipline, we give importance to it," Modi said while addressing business leaders here.

World's first lab grown stem cells implanted
Japanese researchers have successfully implanted lab-grown retinal tissue from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) into a woman in her 70s – the world's first recipient of stem cells.
In a two-hour procedure, a team of three eye specialists led by Yasuo Kurimoto of the Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital transplanted a 1.3 by 3.0 millimetre sheet of retinal pigment epithelium cells into an eye of the woman who was suffering from an age-related macular degeneration.

Modi starts Clean India drive, says India can do itPrime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday (Oct 1,2014) symbolically wielded the broom in Dalit colony where Mahatma Gandhi once stayed to launch a unique nationwide campaign which seeks to change Indians' mindset vis-a-vis hygiene and clean up the country in five years.
In a spirited speech near the India Gate monument a short while later, Modi told a huge gathering that Indians had a responsibility to fulfill Gandhi's dream by ridding the country of dirt and filth by 2019, the 150th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation.

Modi Launches 'Make In India' Campaign, Portal And Logo
Narendra Modi launched his pet "Make in India" campaign on Sep 25, 2014 (Thursday) to put India prominently on the global manufacturing map and, in turn, facilitate the inflow of new technology and capital, while creating millions of jobs.
The ambitious scheme, that also puts in place the logistics and systems to address in a timely manner queries of potential investors, was unveiled along with a logo, a portal and brochures on 25 identified growth sectors before Who's Who of the corporate world from India and abroad at the Vigyan Bhavan conference complex here.

India enters Mars orbit, makes history
India made history by becoming the first country in the world to enter the Martian orbit in its maiden attempt on Sep 24,2014 (Wednesday).
"The spacecraft (Orbiter) was successfully inserted into the Martian orbit at 515 km away from the red planet's surface and 215 million km away from the earth in radio distance," a senior space official told at the mission's control centre here.

India, Japan Will Steer The 21st Century; Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday said India and Japan's friendship will determine the course of the 21st century.
"There is no doubt that the 21st century belongs to Asia. But India and Japan's friendship will determine how it will actually look like," Modi told the Indian community in Japan after inaugurating the Vivekananda Cultural Centre here.

India, China Cooperation Will Help Develop The World: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hinted at the immense possibilities that could open with a free trade agreement between India and China and the creation of such a market."India and China today constitute almost 35 percent of the world's population. From a purely arithmetic point of view, the betterment of 35 percent of the world's population and that they decide to work together will open big gates for progress and development in the world," Modi told Chinese journalists here ahead of President Xi Jinping's visit to India.

Indian Enterprise Will Deliver Sustained 8-9 Percent Growth: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, the entrepreneurial nature of over a million Indians is the basis of his belief that the country will be able to consistently achieve growth rates of 8-9 percent over a sustained period, and for which he has a clear road map."It is my absolute belief that Indians have unlimited talent. I have a lot of faith in the entrepreneurial nature of our 1.25 billion people. There is a lot of capability. And I have a clear road-map to channel it," Modi said in an exclusive interview to CNN's Fareed Zakaria.

SBI celebrated 150 years of its operations in Colombo
State Bank of India celebrated 150 years of its operations in Sri Lanka on 13 September 2014. SBI Colombo is operational since 1864. It was earlier a branch of Bank of Hindustan, which was taken over by Bank of Madras in 1867.
SBI Managing Director Krishna Kumar reaffirmed the bank's commitment to partner in Sri Lanka's efforts in developing its economy.

Sports [September 2014]

Hockey team win gold after 16 years, women's relay team champions again
The national anthem was played twice during the day as the men's hockey won the gold medal after 16 long years and the women's 4x400m relay team emerged champions for the fourth consecutive time taking India back into top-10 at the ninth spot again in the 17th Asian Games here Thursday.
Besides the two gold medals, India also got three bronze medals in the day from boxers Satish Kumar, Vikas Krishan and shotputter Inderjit Singh and took the tally to 54 medals, including nine gold, nine silver and 36 bronze. China is the runaway leader with 321 medals followed by hosts South Korea (211) and Japan (184).

Yogeshwar ends India's 28-year wait for wrestling gold in Asian Games
Indian Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt ended India's 28-year-old wait for an Asian Games gold medal but his compatriots Babita Kumari and Satywart Kadian missed out on the bronze at the Dowon Gymnasium here.
Yogeshwar, Olympic bronze medallist, put on a stupendous show in winning 3-0 in the title-clash against Zalimkhan Yusupov of Tajikistan. Yogeshwar's gold in men's 65kg freestyle was India's first since 1986, when Kartar Singh had won the yellow metal in the Seoul Games.

Arjuna Award for boxer Manoj Kumar: Sports ministry
Indian boxer Manoj Kumar, who was forced to drag the sports ministry to the court after he was controversially denied the Arjuna Award, will finally get the prestigious award, an official said Wednesday (sep 17, 2014).
Sports secretary Ajit Sharan told IANS that the government had decided to bestow the Arjuna Award upon Manoj, a 2010 Commonwealth Games gold-medallist, after the Incheon Asian Games.

Defence

Indian Navy has transformed from buyer to builder: Naval chief
The Indian Navy has transformed from a "buyer's navy to a builder's navy", Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R.K. Dhowan said here Thursday.
"The blue print for the future Indian Navy is firmly anchored on self-reliance and indigenisation and currently we have 41 ships and submarines under construction in various public and private shipyards within the country," Admiral Dhowan said after commissioning the 2,200 tonnes INS Sumitra patrol vessel at a ceremony here.

Current Affairs October 2014

International Current Affairs [October 2014]

India, Australia agree on new security cooperation frameworkIndia and Australia marked a new synergy in bilateral relations as they agreed on a framework for security cooperation to boost defence, civil nuclear and economic ties even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended a hectic five-day, four-city visit.
The two countries signed five agreements, including one on exchange of sentenced prisoners, while Modi also addressed the Australian parliament, the first Indian prime minister to do so.

Under Satya Nadella Microsoft emerges as world's 2nd top firm Under the leadership of its new Indian-American CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft has overtaken oil giant Exxon Mobil to become the world's second most valuable company after iPhone maker Apple Inc.
Nadella restructured Microsoft that has been struggling with the declining market in personal computers to focus on cloud services and mobile technology while cutting jobs and company expenses, Tech Times reported.

India, Australia Agree On Early Closure Of Civil N-AgreementIndia and Australia agreed on seeking an early closure on the civil nuclear agreement and also to speed up negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott on Nov 18, 2014 (Tuesday).
Modi, addressing the media here after talks with Abbott, said he has asked for easier access for Indian business to the Australian market and quicker investment approvals.

Google signs 60-year lease with NASA In a bid to reduce costs and shed surplus property, the US space agency has signed a 60-year lease with Planetary Ventures LLC – a shell organisation operated by Google for real estate deals – to manage Moffett Federal Airfield (MFA) in California and restore its historic Hangar One.Google will initially invest more than $200 million into the site, NASA said in a statement.

National [October 2014]

List of 627 Foreign Account Holders Submitted to Supreme CourtThe central government submitted to the Supreme Court names of the 627 Indians who are holding accounts in foreign banks revealed to it by the French government on Oct 29, 2014 (Wednesday).Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi handed over two sealed envelopes to the apex court bench headed by Chief Justice H.L. Dattu.

India's Kailash Satyarthi shares Peace Prize with Pakistan's MalalaIndian child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Pakistani teenager Malala Yousufzai who stood up to the Taliban and survived a near-fatal shooting.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Peace Prize for 2014 to Satyarthi and Malala Yousufzai "for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education," a statement said.

India, Vietnam To Ramp Up Oil Search In South China Sea, Defence LinksIndia and Vietnam ramped up cooperation in exploring for oil and gas in the contested South China Sea, ignoring Chinese objections, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Hanoi is at the forefront of his government's intensified engagement in Asia Pacific after holding talks with his visiting Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung.Both sides inked seven agreements, including between ONGC Videsh Limited and PetroVietnam for exploration of two oil and gas blocks in Vietnam.

Modi Unveils Key Labour Reforms, Promises Better Work CulturePrime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled some key labour reforms that relies on trust and promotes ease of doing business and said these efforts will go a long way in changing India's work culture on Oct 16, 2014.The prime minister also dedicated the Shram Suvidha portal, a Labour Inspection Scheme, as also portability of social security through a Universal Account Number for Employees Provident Fund at an event in Vigyan Bhavan conference complex here.

Help rural students dream big: PM to AIIMSPrime Minister Narendra Modi has a novel idea to inspire children from rural background to take up higher calling. He wants prestigious institutions like AIIMS to invite them at their convocation ceremonies.
Interacting with graduating medical students at the 42nd AIIMS convocation here, the prime minister suggested a tradition be introduced of having special guests at the convocation.

Government bans import of animal-tested cosmeticsThe ministry of health and family welfare banned the import of cosmetics which are tested on animals on Oct 14, 2014.The ban comes in the form of Rule 135-B that states: "Prohibition of import of cosmetics tested on animals. No cosmetic that has been tested on animals after the commencement of the Drugs and Cosmetics (Fifth Amendment) Rules, 2014, shall be imported into the country."

India to launch electronic toll collection at 350 highway plazas: MinisterLaunching an electronic toll collection (ETC) system for the Delhi-Mumbai highway, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said such a facility will be extended to as many as 350 plazas by the end of next year.
"In the coming time, this system will get revolutionalised. This is our step towards a digital India. I have given orders that before March, there should be over 350 such tolls," the minister said at an event here to launch the project.

Business and Economy Current Affairs [October 2014]

India's GDP to grow 5.6 percent this fiscal: World Bank
The World Bank said India's GDP is likely to expand by 5.6 percent this fiscal.
The World Bank's "India Development Update" released here said: "India's economic growth is expected to rise to 5.6 percent in FY15, followed by further acceleration to 6.4 percent and 7 percent in FY 2016 and FY 2017."
It said identifying the goods and services tax (GST) as the most important economic reform that the new government should undertake for faster growth.

Arvind Subramanian new chief economic advisor
The government appointed US-based economist Arvind Subramanian as the chief economic advisor in the finance ministry on Oct 16, 2014, filling a key position that has been lying vacant for over a year.
Soon after assuming charge, Subramanian said he would focus on growth, investment and creating opportunities for all sections of Indian society.

Economy improving, 5.5 percent growth this year: RBI GovernorIndia's economy is improving and the country is hoping to achieve 5.5 percent, or little more, growth rate this year, said Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan.
"Next year we will go into sixes and hopefully sevens the year after," he said while addressing students of Indian Business School (ISB) here Thursday.

Defence

Defence ministry clears Israeli anti-tank missile, six submarines
The defence ministry cleared big ticket defence deals worth Rs.80,000 crore which include Israel's guided anti-tank missile Spike, sources said.
Spike missiles were chosen instead of the US' Javelin missiles, for which Washington had lobbied hard.
India will be buying over 8,000 missiles worth Rs.32,000 crore.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) which was headed by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley.

India Ready For Nuclear No-First-Use AgreementsReiterating its traditional policy of not using nuclear weapons first and not targeting non-nuclear weapons nations, India has offered to enter into agreements incorporating the two principles while ruling out joining the non-proliferation treaty.
"As a responsible nuclear power India has a policy of credible minimum deterrence based on a No First Use posture and non-use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon states," Ambassador D.B. Venkatesh Varma said . "We are prepared to convert these into bilateral or multilateral legally binding arrangements."

Current Affairs November 2014

International Current Affairs [November 2014]

India, Australia agree on new security cooperation frameworkIndia and Australia marked a new synergy in bilateral relations as they agreed on a framework for security cooperation to boost defence, civil nuclear and economic ties even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi ended a hectic five-day, four-city visit.
The two countries signed five agreements, including one on exchange of sentenced prisoners, while Modi also addressed the Australian parliament, the first Indian prime minister to do so.

Under Satya Nadella Microsoft emerges as world's 2nd top firm Under the leadership of its new Indian-American CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft has overtaken oil giant Exxon Mobil to become the world's second most valuable company after iPhone maker Apple Inc.
Nadella restructured Microsoft that has been struggling with the declining market in personal computers to focus on cloud services and mobile technology while cutting jobs and company expenses, Tech Times reported.

India, Australia Agree On Early Closure Of Civil N-AgreementIndia and Australia agreed on seeking an early closure on the civil nuclear agreement and also to speed up negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott on Nov 18, 2014 (Tuesday).
Modi, addressing the media here after talks with Abbott, said he has asked for easier access for Indian business to the Australian market and quicker investment approvals.

Google signs 60-year lease with NASA In a bid to reduce costs and shed surplus property, the US space agency has signed a 60-year lease with Planetary Ventures LLC – a shell organisation operated by Google for real estate deals – to manage Moffett Federal Airfield (MFA) in California and restore its historic Hangar One.Google will initially invest more than $200 million into the site, NASA said in a statement.

National [November 2014]

IAF Chief Unveils New Pilot Selection System Indian Air Force chief Arup Raha unveiled the new computerised pilot selection system, replacing the age-old pilot aptitude battery test."The new system is aimed at addressing the alarming rate of flying accidents in the IAF attributed to pilot error," Air Chief Marshal Raha told reporters at the air force selection board here, about 150 km from Bengaluru.

India's First Smart City In Gujarat Wins Nasscom AwardIndia's first smart city, the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), announced it had been conferred with the e-LETS award for the smart city's command and control centre from the National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom).
The award was given by Nasscom president R. Chandrashekhar at the e-INDIA conference in Kovalam.

Modi Ranked 15th On Forbes Power List; Putin TopsIndian Prime Narendra Modi joined the world's most powerful people ranking 15th on the Forbes list with Russian President Vladimir Putin once again beating US President Barack Obama to the top spot.
"India's newest rock star doesn't hail from Bollywood. He is the newly elected prime minister who sailed into office in May with a landslide victory, ushering the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) into power after decades of control by the Gandhi dynasty," said the US business magazine of Modi.

India, Australia Agree On Early Closure Of Civil N-AgreementIndia and Australia agreed on seeking an early closure on the civil nuclear agreement and also to speed up negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott on Nov 18, 2014 (Tuesday).
Modi, addressing the media here after talks with Abbott, said he has asked for easier access for Indian business to the Australian market and quicker investment approvals.

Business and Economy Current Affairs [November 2014]

Modi pushes for increased economic engagement with ASEAN
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met a host of Southeast Asian leaders as he made a major push to increase economic engagement between India and the 10-member ASEAN and said his government places equal emphasis on ease of doing business in India as well as on making policies attractive.
Modi met his Thai and Malaysian counterparts, Prayut Chan-o-cha and Najib Tun Razak, as well as Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Telangana targets 15-20 percent share in aerospace, defence marketThe Telangana government will develop two more aerospace parks as part of its initiatives to garner 15 to 20 percent market share in aerospace and defence sector in next five years, officials said.
The aerospace park proposed over 1,000 acres near Ibrahimpatnam on Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway will be an extension of the existing aerospace Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Adiblatla, which houses Tata's four units in joint venture with global majors like Sikorsky, Lockheed Martin and RUAG Aviation.

India ranked third in salary hike in Asia Pacific in 2015India has been ranked No.3 in Asia Pacific in terms of the nominal salary increase expected in 2015, by consulting firm ECA International.
Among the 17 countries from Asia, Pakistan is at the top. Vietnam, India, Bangladesh and Indonesia are ranked thereafter in that order, according to the latest salary trends survey by ECA International.

Current Affairs December 2014

International Current Affairs

Modi-Putin talks: 12 new n-reactors in India, 20 agreements inkedNuclear energy cooperation between India and Russia got a major boost with both sides inking a vision document for the construction of 12 Russia-built nuclear units in India over the next two decades as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin held summit talks here.
The two sides inked 20 agreements, including in the sphere of defence cooperation, oil and gas and in trade, after the holding of the 15th India-Russia annual summit.

141, mostly children, killed in Peshawar school attackIn one of the worst acts of human savagery ever perpetrated, the Pakistani Taliban senselessly slaughtered 141 people, 132 of them children, in a brazen terror attack launched by its heavily armed gunmen and suicide bombers on an army-run school in Pakistan's Peshawar city in retaliation to the army's operation against extremists in North Waziristan.
The horrifying attack was carried out by a group of paramilitary uniform-wearing terrorists who stormed the Army Public School complex in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, Pakistani media said.

Robin Williams, Brazil World Cup, Ebola top 2014 Google searchesThe late Hollywood star Robin Williams, Brazil's World Cup soccer championship, and the Ebola virus have been the top searches on Google this year, according to the tech company.
The smartphone game "Flappy Birds", cross-dressing Austrian singer and Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst, the animated game of the feature film "Frozen", the Sochi Olympic Games, and Ukraine also made it to the 11 most popular searches.

Indian Navy on standby for AirAsia flight searchThe Indian Navy has kept a surveillance aircraft and three ships ready as an AirAsia flight with 162 people on board Sunday went missing en route from Indonesia to Singapore.
"The Indian Navy has kept one Boeing P8I on standby at INS Rajali (Tamil Nadu) and three ships ready for search and rescue operations for the Air Asia flight which has been reported missing since this morning (Sunday)," a navy official said.

National

Indian Film 'Jal' In Running For Two OscarsGirish Malik's National Award winning film "Jal" has found a place in the Oscar contenders of 2014 in two categories — Best Picture and Best Original Score.The film, which has the backdrop of water scarcity and tells the story of Bakka, a person gifted with a special ability to find water in the desert, features in the reminder list of productions eligible for the 87th Academy Awards.

Vivek Murthy Makes History As First Indian 'America's Doctor'Vivek Hallegere Murthy has made history as the youngest US Surgeon General and the first of Indian descent with his Senate confirmation in the teeth of strong opposition of powerful gun lobby.
The Democratic controlled Senate voted Monday 51-43 to confirm Murthy, 37 as 'America's doctor' more than a year after his nomination with the Republicans dead set against him because of his support for gun control and President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law.

India-China border resolution: Is it ever likely?Despite promising noises of an early resolution and many rounds of annual dialogue, why does the India-China border issue continue to fester? Why is there no moving forward in actual terms? Is it because it suits Beijing to let the status quo continue?
According to China expert Ranjit Singh Kalha, a former secretary in the external affairs ministry, the "stalemate" on the boundary issue, which has seen 17 rounds of formal talks so far over the disputed boundary of around 4,000 km, is likely to continue.

India's Mars mission hits a centuryChennai, India's Mars Orbiter completed 100 days of its Martian orbit on the New Year's Day 2015 Thursday, space agency officials said.
The Mars Orbiter was inserted in Martian orbit Sep 24, 2014 is in good health, said officials of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Business and Economy Current Affairs

Debt waivers have not benefited farmers: RBI chiefDebt waiver schemes of central and state governments have not benefited farmers as they restricted credit flow subsequently, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan said Saturday.
"Studies have shown that debt waiver programmes have been ineffective, constraining credit flow to farmers after their loans were waived off," Rajan said at the 97th annual conference of the Indian Economic Association organised by the economics department of Mohanlal Sukhadia University in Udaipur, about 420 km from Jaipur.

RBI to focus on medium-term inflation: RajanThe Reserve Bank of India (RBI) would focus on medium-term inflation to let the economy adjust to the changes, its Governor Raghuram Rajan said Saturday.
He also observed that debt waiver schemes of central and state governments have not benefited farmers as they restricted credit flow subsequently

India is fourth largest exporter of illicit outflowsWith a total $439.59 billion, India has jumped one rank to become the fourth largest exporter of illicit outflows over the decade after China, Russia and Mexico, according to a new study.India with $94.76 billion was also the third largest exporter of illicit capital in 2012, the most recent year included in the annual update of illicit financial flows released Tuesday by Global Financial Integrity (GFI), a Washington -based research and advisory organization.

Sports

Rafique Heads Atletico De Kolkata To Become ISL ChampionsSubstitute Mohammad Rafique netted an injury time header as Atletico De Kolkata clinched the inaugural Indian Super League (ISL) crown with a 1-0 win over Kerala Blasters here Saturday.Rafique, who replaced Mohammad Rafi in the 74th minute of the mega clash at the packed D.Y. Patil stadium, followed up a corner from Czech defender Jakub Podany to fire the header in the 94th minute, a minute before the second half injury time was slated to end to send Atletico De Kolkata fans into raptures here as also in Kolkata and other parts of the world.

Germany lift Hockey Champions TrophyGermany emerged victorious in the Hockey Champions Trophy, beating Pakistan 2-0 in a pulsating final at a packed Kalinga stadium here .Christopher Wesley (18th minute) and Florian Fuchs (56th) scored for Germany to lift the trophy for the 10th time. Germany had won the title for the last time in 2007.

Defence

BRO to be brought fully under defence ministry: ParrikarNew Delhi, Border Road Organisation (BRO) will be brought fully under the defence ministry and non-sensitive roads in border areas will be handed over to the National Highways Authority of India, said Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.
The BRO is presently under both road transport and defence ministries. While the former allocates funds, the latter has executive control.

Defence agents to be legalised by mid-February: ParrikarNew Delhi, Changes in the Defence Procurement Policy to legalise representatives from foreign defence firms will be done in another month and a half, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said.In an interaction with journalists late Tuesday night, he also said that the ministry is thinking of giving conditioned and limited approval to dealing with banned firms, and a ban has been lifted to get spare parts for Tatra trucks.

Government plans to legalise 'representatives' in defence dealsHinting that corruption was deep rooted as far as defence procurement and deals were concerned, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said the government was contemplating legalising 'representatives' from defence firms to remove middlemen who work for kickbacks.
Speaking at the Agenda Aaj Tak – 2014 conclave, the defence minister also suggested punitive penalty for firms violating the rules, adding that there was a need to define what blacklisting a firm meant.